Texas Children's Hospital First to Use New Catheter in Pediatric Heart Procedure

Texas Children's Hospital has become the first in the nation to use a new laser catheter to open a child's heart valve.

Measuring approximately one millimeter in diameter, the rapid exchange disposable catheter only recently was approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Pediatric cardiologists at Texas Children's Heart Center chose the instrument, originally designed for use in adult coronary angioplasty procedures, because it is the smallest and most maneuverable catheter available.

At Texas Children's, the catheter enabled cardiologists to burn a small hole in the closed heart valve, then insert a balloon through the valve to open it. Once the valve was opened, blood was able to flow normally into the pulmonary arteries.

This catheterization procedure replaces a less successful one in which pediatric cardiologists tried to open the heart valve using a traditional catheter and sharp wire, explained Dr. Ronald Grifka, director of the cardiac catheterization laboratories at Texas Children's Heart Center.

Dr. Grifka said the patient was a 14-month-old boy who previously had surgery to place a shunt to help blood flow into the pulmonary arteries. The shunt had clotted and the child became critically ill.

"The procedure went perfectly - very safe and smooth," Dr. Grifka said. "In addition to the closed pulmonary valve and shunt, the child had a viral infection. He was very ill before the procedure and his condition was declining rapidly. Since the procedure, his condition has improved markedly, he is off the ventilator and many medications, and is breathing on his own. He was discharged home several days later."

For more information about the Texas Children's Heart Center, go to the Web site, http://www.texaschildrenshospital.org/heartcenter.

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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